www.megadrum.info

I'm using the 56 port MD with the latest software update and BFD3 on an acoustic conversion with 27mm triggers and foam cones.

After weeks of going back and forth with BFD3 support they determined my issue resides with the module however, I'm not sure. The set is all designed in the software and, when I place my mouse over each drum and demo the sound it comes through the PA system loud and clear. I used a new USB2 cable from the MD Module to the laptop and the headphones jack on the laptop to the PA system. In short, demo the drum using only the laptop and the sound is clear and without lag.

However, when I play the double base one is muffled and the other completely distorted. The snare hit sounds like a flam, has a wicked long lag and is also distorted to a small degree. The toms sound ok most of the time however, every few hits may produce an incredibly loud "boom" that sounds like a different drum and... cymbal strikes set off the bass drums and random toms in the software. BFD3 support is saying its the module and not the software. Yet, if that is the case why will the sound come out crystal clear when using the computer, is the computer completely bypassing the module or is the computer sending in both directions - to the module and back again with the assigned voice?

Any help with this issue would be greatly appreciated. I haven't been able to play this set in two months and really, really need to get this working.
Tommy

Do you mean that the sound is fine when you click on the drumkit in BFD?
If that is the case it seems that your velocity comes in way to high.

I'm not really familiar with BFD3 but in BFD2 there's a midi log window in the lower left corner. (Assuming you use stand alone). Check the velocity there. Or download a midi log program (Midi-Ox).
You can also try to lower the master dynamics in BFD.

If you then still doubt the software download a demo version of addictive drums.

I'm far from an expert but I've noticed similar behavior when testing with piezo's.

Hope this helps.

To me it appears that BFD3 is having problems processing MIDI coming from the module. Is computer fast enough and is not CPU/Memory bounded? Are you using ASIO2 drivers? Have you configured BFD3 to listen from a one MegaDrum MIDI port (right) or from both(wrong)? Also test it with Addictive Drum demo as lenny_v suggested.

Dmitri, yes, the computer has plenty of power, HDD and RAM to handle this application with no problems. I don't use the laptop for anything else other than running the drum kit so it has no other software on it eating up resources. Just a quick FYI it's Windows 10, 500gig SATA, 8 Gigs RAM with minimal software such a AVG Virus and firewall to prevent hackers.

Yes, I'm using ASI02 drivers and have MDM set to receive and send from one MIDI port, not both.

Lenny, Yes, if I place my mouse pointer over the drum in BFD3 and press the button the sound is clear and the accurate voice for that trigger as set in the software as it comes through the PA system. However, if I hit the drum to trigger it, there's a bunch of distortion that comes through. For instance, if I mouse over my 18" floor top and press the mouse button down I get a clear, deep 18" tom sound that is perfect... If I actually hit the drum with my stick and trigger it I may get a clear sound once or twice but then it will get completely distorted and the volume will go wildly high and make a tremendous "boom" sound.

As of 3/5/16 I've downloaded the new firmware for my 56 port MD and am going to continue working with it. I have the sound coming out of the headphones jack with a 3.5mm which goes to the sound board where I have it plugged into a 1/4 adapter so the drums have it's own channel on the board; is this correct?

Any screen shots you guys would like will be fine, just let me know and I'll load them up. I have shows coming up in four weeks and would like to use this set and not the practice set. Thanks for all the input, I greatly appreciate all of your help gents.

One more thing, Lenny said the velocity is coming in way too high. Is that the setting in BFD3 or in MDM for each drum trigger? If it's in MDM, which setting in the software would be the correct one to modify to lower the velocity?

What is the high level on your tom?

TamaBeast wrote:Yes, I'm using ASI02 drivers and have MDM set to receive and send from one MIDI port, not both.

MDM communicates to MegaDrum over one IN port and one OUT port. I was suggesting that you may have BFD3 configured to listen on all MIDI/MegaDrum ports, not just one. Also, MDM and BFD3 must use different MegaDrum ports to avoid any interference between them.

You can also try it with a demo version of Addictive Drums to find out where the source of the problem is: if it is BFD3 or sound drivers or MIDI routing.

dmitri wrote:

TamaBeast wrote:Yes, I'm using ASI02 drivers and have MDM set to receive and send from one MIDI port, not both.

MDM communicates to MegaDrum over one IN port and one OUT port. I was suggesting that you may have BFD3 configured to listen on all MIDI/MegaDrum ports, not just one. Also, MDM and BFD3 must use different MegaDrum ports to avoid any interference between them.

So, is what you're saying that I should have the MDM set to the MDM Midi Port and BFD3 set to use a different MIDI port?

In MDM (and in BFD) you should see 2 megadrum midi ports avaiable, numbered 1 and 2 (or similar). MDM's midi in/out should be set to one of them, and BFD should be set to only receive from the other. He means that BFD might be listening to more than just that one midi port, hence the erratic behaviour.